Archive for March, 2007

1) Coughlin opens his mouth and puts himself in the same category as Hitler when it comes to media assault. 2) Coughlin physically takes the legs out from his players at the end of each season by having multiple practices in full pads.3) Coughlin elects to kick the extra point with 3:45 secs left and a 12 point lead in the (week 6) Atlanta game. (After the game, Coughlin admits his error.)4) Coughlin elects to kick the extra point with 6:13 secs left and a 12 point lead in the (week 17) Washington game. Subsequently, the Skins march down the field, score a TD, stop the Giants on their next possession and get the ball back for ONE last drive down by SIX points with 2 mins to go.5) Coughlin runs a Pisarcik instead of taking a knee on that final possession (Week 17) to close out the game.

5 time pro bowler Al Wilson of the Broncos was brought in but failed his physical. What we learn from this is that (a) the Giants are at least trying (b) their needs at LB are so acute that they are willing to take a good MLB and move him to OLB.

From an NFL standpoint the irony is palpable. In a year in which more money than ever was available to all teams (due to a big jump in the cap), it coincided with an anemic crop of free agents. So much money to spend and not a player worthy of it. The Giants even tried (and will fail on Monday when the Texans match) to spend gazillions… on a FULLBACK!

You’ll be hearing my rants all spring and summer, but the preview is that we have so many glaring needs that will be unaddressed. Unless we get a few miracles and immediate impact players from the draft, 2007 is a rebuilding year… a polite way of saying we s**k.

The dynamic of a weaker team and Coughlin in purgatory could get ugly. No, Barber will not be there to take shots at Coughlin from his untouchable perch. This time it will be the Shockeys and Burresses who tee off. Unless Manning finds NFL religion and all of a sudden makes dramatic improvement, I do not see how the year gets anything but ugly. The antics of hard Coughlin practices combined with a losing record gets old really fast. That happened in Year 1, but Coughlin’s status as a new coach was unassailable. In Year 2 and 3 they came into the second half of the season with 6-2 records, so the natives could not get (too) restless. A team that will have gone 4 years with this loser screwing them yet again in the late November and December shells/pads will smell blood. Reese’s first big move as GM will be to fire Coughlin, a year too late.

Manning’s contract has been extended. Not a surprise, but it is a little distressing to me that someone with a 73 QB rating can be so ‘automatic.’ The only incentive I see in this guy’s play is his unwillingness (TO HANG IN THERE LONGER) to take a hit. This guy needs COMPETITION and he needs it NOW. If you missed my post from March 1st (“Want to make the Giants better?”), I urge you to read it. It is even more timely than ever before.

In this case, it is inaction that speaks louder than words. Consider:1) the MANY needs of the New York Giants2) that each team loses ~4.5 players to free agency (we have lost 8) and we have gotten ONE back through a trade 3) that Left Tackle is now going to be filled by Diehl or a high draft pick, after Petitgout was let go4) that McGahee (Ravens), Curtis (Eagles), Rhodes (Raiders) and Davis (Cowboys) were all players we had interest in but nothing even remotely serious happened

We have to wonder aloud whether Reese is rebuilding in 2007. We have to wonder whether Coughlin is someone that players and their agents know to stay away from. As we have feared all along, is this a lame duck season for Coughlin? And if so, why NOT trade Strahan for a high draft choice while he still can play so that we can rebuild?… if we are throwing away 2007, he is 35 1/2 now, then he will be ~37 by the time we can ‘compete’ again.

Re-sign Feely for more than a couple of dollars? NOT! Goodbye! We had two Feelys while he was with us. Feely #1 was the one who was very solid in 2005 and could hit consistently from short range and hit some longer ones too. Feely #2 was the one who (in 20-20 hindsight) cracked after the Seattle game of 2005, became less consistent unless he was kicking from 30 or less, could not hit ANYTHING beyond ~40 yards, turned extra points into adventures, and generally became one UNRELIABLE Kicker. This week they kept shoveling this stat about him making something like 80% of his kicks… BULLBLEEP! Coughlin stopped letting him kick from beyond extra point range. The Giants were horrible in the red (oh, pardon me, moron Coughlin calls it the green) zone and the beneficiary of that was Feely kicking the gimme FG. GOODBYE. Next.

From the Washington Post: In something of a long shot, the Redskins also could be in the running for left defensive end Michael Strahan, who met with New York Giants officials this week in an attempt to be traded. Strahan has two years left on his current contract.

There has been ZERO followup (by the NY media) in the 24 hours after this article hit, so my guess at the moment is that it is more conjecture and less fact.

Giants: Dominic Rhodes of the Colts visited the Giants yesterday. The Giants have also expressed immediate interest in Cardinals left tackle Leonard Davis and Patriots linebacker Tully Banta-Cain. Though no visit has been scheduled with Banta-Cain yet, they are trying to get Davis (who visited Dallas yday) in for a visit. They are also looking hard at Eagles safety Michael Lewis, but are not optimistic about getting him. The only action they have taken is signing O’Hara, and tendering Wilson (RFA) for a 2nd rounder if the Giants cannot match someone else’s offer.

Three step plan for greater success:1) Get an incredibly competent backup like Jeff Garcia (who will be available, fyi).2) Order Manning to stop with the backpedal away from the hit as he releases the ball.3) Put in your backup if Manning is unwilling to take the hit or if he gets hurt.

Plain and simple, Manning is not giving the team 100% as long as he ducks the hit. It is part of the job as QB to take the hit. And it is definitely part of the job when hanging in there with the proper (FOOT) mechanics means better throws and more hits. Take the high road and break this guy’s bad habits. If he gets hurt and we need to go to the backup, so be it. Incidentally, if you signed a guy like Garcia he should be your STARTER. Imagine HIM throwing to Burress, Shockey, Toomer, Moss and Jacobs. TFB Eli. Think about how well Garcia did WITHOUT guys like this. NFL means ‘not for long,’ and without a quality backup, the Giants are not going to push Manning.

One more thing in defense of Manning- I would be willing to bet that Manning’s dropoff in performance in the second half of the season is tied to the Coughlin grind. Yet another reason to get onto the next coach so that Eli loses the free ride and (he and his teammates) also gets an easier one late in the season.

Former All-Pro Offensive Lineman Mark Schlereth weighed in on the Barber-Coughlin remarks… he said that Mike Shanahan added 4-5 years to his career because as a coach Shanahan managed his veterans and understood the grind. It is a 12-month per year career and Schlereth says that veterans who have delivered results for many seasons need to get less reps in practice as the season winds down. Veterans loses their legs. Even the younger players lose their legs. Think about all those games down the stretch where the Giants scored first and then disappeared. Don’t think for a second that these guys were not acting out or that their bodies were simply not ready to go for 60 minutes. Coughlin is a grinder, period. AND HE HAS NOT FIGURED IT OUT.